Government to look at imposing gun limits (Australia)

[Johnny Rico]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-06/call-for-cap-on-gun-numbers/3871110

The Attorney General, Christian Porter, says he will support a limit on the number of guns a licence holder can have after police found 14 guns and a big cache of ammunition in a family home, south of Perth. Police raided the Port Kennedy home on Sunday and say they found rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition, batons, knives and drugs. Two young children have been staying in the house and their 36-year-old father has been charged with 23 firearm and drug related offences.

The opposition's Michelle Roberts says police must audit all gun licence holders to make sure they have a legitimate right to carry firearms. "There need to be restrictions put in place, there should be a presumption of someone not having more than two or three licensed firearms at home," she said. "I think the Police Minister needs to step in straight away. "He needs to establish some kind of presumption as to the maximum amount of guns that the average person should be able to house at their home, to have numbers like 12 or 13 licensed firearms in an average house is wrong."

Under current legislation, there is no limit on how many firearms a person can own.

Mr Porter, who is currently acting as Police Minister, says it is time to review the law but says any amendments would have to be carefully considered to ensure legitimate gun owners are not penalised. "There's something that's gone wrong in this individual case, I think that much is clear, and I'll be going through that very very carefully indeed," he said. "It's time to have the debate, and time to work out how you might institute a limit and whether it can be a limit which is different for some categories of firearm owners, particularly those that are legitimate sportsmen.

"Thirteen licensed firearms for this particular individual seems nothing short of outrageous."

(more at link)

[Hoyt]

1. Why do Australians show more sense regarding guns than right wing Americans?

Yea, I know, there are a few liberals who will never be satisfied with the number of guns they possess -- but mostly right wingers are responsible for our gun laws, or lack of sensible restrictions.

[liberal N proud]

2. Damn, Obama is taking their guns away too?

I was eating lunch yesterday with a strong republican who seems to think that Obama is still going to take eveyone's guns away.

Told us that gun sales are up ahead of the election because it appears that Obama will be reelected (Great news) and when he is, he will start taking guns away from people.

I had a hard time keeping myself from

[DonP]

3. Don't laugh too hard

The last time I looked, renewing the failed Assault Weapons Ban was still in the official platform.

We are also regularly assured by gun control supporters on this very board, as well as some senior level party officials (Pelosi, Schumer, Kerry etc.), that more gun control is a basic tenet of progressive policy.

I'm not sure who to believe, you who says more gun control is laughable, or all those other people and the platform that says it's necessary?

[ellisonz]

5. LEEAVVEE MAH TOYSSS ALONE!

If you take away my guns, I won't be able bring my civilization to "the enemy"

[Atypical Liberal]

4. Since a person can never use more than 2 firearms at a time, why worry about it?

"Thirteen licensed firearms for this particular individual seems nothing short of outrageous."

Why?

Is a person who owns 13 guns more dangerous than a person who owns only 2?

Since a person can only realistically use 2 guns at a time, why does it matter if they collect dozens of them?

[BiggJawn]

6. "Thirteen licensed firearms for this particular individual seems nothing short of outrageous."

Yet if he had 13 motorcycles, or 13 Shelby Cobras, or 13 rare coins, or 13 stamps, or 13 beehives, or 13 girlfriends, nobody would give him another look.

So why is 13 firearms, and LICENSED ones at that, wrong?

Probably for the same reason that a black .22 rifle w/a bayonet lug is more dangerous than a walnut stocked .308 Mauser, because it LOOKS dangerous...

Or 13 children, or 13 hound dogs, 13 screwdrivers, or...

[shadowrider]

7. He conformed to the law. You mean lawmakers object to the law?

Glad I live in a gun-friendly state.

[shadowrider]

8. Or 13 lbs. of fertilizer and 13 gals of diesel.

What's the harm in that?